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FIRE KINDLEH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE B, 1918.

Paf-elim June 24, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. J. GERHARDT.

FIRE KINDLER.

` V I APPLICATN FILED )UNE 8, lgnl ,308,009 Patented June 24,1919.

3 SHEETSmSHEET 3- l QW H M *n/f,

im am m 1V @my l r 'fg XM UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

ALVIN J; GERHARDT, QEELTNT, MICHIGAN.:

Eran-KlineLER.` I

1 ,ses-,eea

To au whom it may concern:

Be it known that I`,`AL`V1N J. Geni-muni', a

`citizen-.of the "United States, residing at Flint, in the county ofGenesee and State of Michigam have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Kindlers; and I do hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention,

such as will enableothers skilled in theart" to which it appertains to make and fuse" the i same. t; The object of the invention "is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive tire kin` dler to take the place of kindling wood, not` only as a means of conseryingthesupplyof wood,lout also as a convenient meansforthe starting oftires of softer hardpcoal by fur nishingthe necessary heat to ignite the, coal while supporting the latter in the most eficientposition toreceive the heat and to be exposed to the thuneproduced `thekindler, the construction of the latter beingsuch` as to be entirely consumed inthe course of starting the fire. y e e Further objects and advantages `will appear in the course` of the following descri tion, it being `understood that `changes `1n form and proportion maybe resrted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from thespirit ofthe invention. e e l" In the drawings e t e e i e `Figure l is a plan view of a'kindler con.- structed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end view vof `the samaf.: Fig. isaside view. "t t, Fig. 4L is a longitudinal sectional `view on the plane indicated by the` line l---Ll of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional `view on the plane indicated [by the line of Fig-1. r\.`. it-

Fig. 6 is a detail view in perspective of a portion of the combustible wicking;

Fig. 7` is a planview` Ofuayrnoditied.eenen struction of the kindlei1` showinga differen arrangement and construction of the wick? longitudinal elements 12, disposed respec- Specification of Lettersatent. I Ptllltedwtu 24,1919, i `Appliespatita .new `s, 191s.; fserial No. 238,925.

the fire boit` of astove or furnace to eo`1`1sti-` tute a propersupport forthe coal whicli may` be spread evenly over the upper surface thereofto a greater or less depth as may be desired, in position tobe exposed tothe llame rising .from the combustible wicking 1 3 which housed inand held bysaid frame. The grate `is of "combustible" material, such -as lightsplint wood or preferably cardboard `or the equivalent thereof and which is relatively inexpensive.` l The elements transverse Aand"longitudinal constituting the grate are locked together by `kerlingg one intersecting memberas shown at 14 in Fig. `5 to receive theother membengvery much in the" same manneras the elements of egg cells are connected, so `that the elements`^are heldintheir proper relative positions until ready for use, and so thata number oflthearticles may be boxedor crated infbulk for shipment. The lower edges of the transverse members, for example, may beutilizetl as the base upon which the structure rests upon the grate Vof the fire betrof a stove or furnace andby constructing the longitudinal members 12 of a lesswdepth than the `transverse members i as shown in Figs. 2 and 4:, the ieXible wicking 18 may be housed within the contour of the grate as indicated in fFigs. Band 4 where it is held by ja longitudinal retaining member 14Eterminallysecured as at 15" tothe margi nal transverse elements of the grate. "Also the intermediate transversejelement 11 may be notched as shown at 171:0 provide for the proper nesting of the intermediate portions ofysaid` wicking. M e t The lwicking may consist of a iiller of `suitablednflamma'ble material incasedin a wrap- "pingof flexiblemateriahsuch as paper or the equivalent thereof," and in practice ithas been found that a suitable inflammablemix- `ture mayfbecomposed of `sawdustone quart, kerosene one gill, coal dust or finely powdered coalone quart, and melted tar, one gill. The

sawdust and kerosene should be thoroughly mixed and incorporated and subsequently the coal dust and melted tar should be added and Ythe combination thoroughly stirred to secure a homogeneous and thorough distribution of the elements after which the same may bewrapped `or rolled `in the envelop or sheatlr and coiled or wrapped within the seat 'provided thereforin the grate as shown `in Fig. 1.

As above noted, the article should be placed in a horizontal position in the fire box of a stove or furnace with the unobstructed edges of the longitudinal and transverse members uppermost to form a support for the coal which should be distributed thereon before igniting the terminals of the wicking which are exposed as shown at 13a for that purpose. The riiaine from the burning mixture'in lthe wicking passes up through the grate bars or elements and immediately attacks .the coal `supported thereby, and in the course ofthe operation the grate is consuinedso thatthere is nothing other than the ash for subsequent removal, rvand the use of wood in starting acoal iiremay` thereby entirely avoided.,l l :In themodified construction of device indicated in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, the intermediateportion of the central longitudinal element of the frame is cut away or omitted to allow morespace for the arrangement of the,Y wicking which iscpreferably formed in sectionsv 1S and 19, of which the former is coiled relativelyclosely at the center of the fra-imerwhile` the latter formsV kan encircling or' Ymarginal element to more evenly distribute the heat inthe burning of s aid wicking,an'd thereby insurekthe proper ignition ofthe-coal or other fuel Vwhich is disposed upon thegrate formed by the frame.

` In themodiiied construction also the wickingis prefera'blyfheld in'place by means of a webbing 2O of stout `paper or other inflammable material which substantially covers the bottomV of the frame and therefore supports Vthe wickingelements throughout their len hs.y j *y p t willbe obvio-us, moreover, that the device vdescribed. may` be constructed Vat a relatively small cost and k'may be kconveniently andgcompactly stored and shipped in condition for use. Y v

` Having described the invention, I claim:

1..A .fire 'kindler having a combustible grate consisting of longitudinal and trans- --verse intersecting elementsv of which the upper edges of the longitudinal elements are arranged in a common plane to form a support for fuel, and vof which the intermediate portions belo-wthe fuel supporting edge Copies. of this patent :hay be bbtaineci for grate and disposed and secured within the contour of the latter.

2. A fire kindler having a grate consisting of longitudinal and transverse intersecting combustible elements of which intermediate portions are cut away below the upper fuel supporting edges thereof to provide a housing, an iniammable wicking consisting of a combustible wrapper provided with a filling of inflammable material arranged in said housing within the contour of the grate, and a retaining member connecting terminal elements of the grate for holdingsaid wicking in place.

3. A fire kindler having a grate consisting of longitudinal and transverse intersecting combustible elements of which intermediate portions are cut away below the upper fuel supporting edges thereof to provide a housing, an inflammable wicking consisting of a combustible wrapper provided with a lling of inflammable material arranged in said housing within the contour of the grate, and a retainiiior member consisting of an inflammable webbing secured to the lower edges of the grate members and supporting said wicking in its housed ielation therewith.

L A fire kindler having a .grate consisting of longitudinal and transverse intersecting combustible elements of which intermediate portions are cut awav below the upper fuel 'supporting edges thereof to provide a housing, an inflammable wicking consisting of Vinner and outer elements of which the former is Vcoiled closely and the' latter is arranged in encircling relation thereto, said wicking elements being arranged in the housing within the contour of the grate, and retaining means closing the bottom of the grate for maintaining the wicking in position therein.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALVIN J. GERHARDT. Witnesses:

J H. KnNwoRTHY, JOHN-E. SIGKLns.

ve cents eachjby addressing the Commissioner of IPatents, Washington, DL vCl 

